The new technology debuts with a splash in Tokyo--but this time, slick Japan tech followed innovative mall machines in Michigan.

Everything is more fun when enacted as a video game. Even a a new touchscreen vending machine that debuted yesterday in Tokyo that's “causing quite a stir,” writes Sam Dunne of Core77, “as, one-by-one, bashful salarymen plucked up the courage to go and put the machine through its paces for the benefit of the gawking crowds.” Why be bothered with that tiresome pressing of letters and numbers (Sprite … E7), when you can press a luminescent avatar of the soda you crave? And then, if Dunne’s photographs are to be believed, be thanked by a smiling anthropomorphized avatar of the very machine you just interacted with?

We are accustomed in this country to being scooped by the Japanese on faddish technology. But it seems, actually, that U.S. malls may have beaten the Japanese on this one. The Briarwood Mall of Ann Arbor, MI, has a Coca-Cola touchscreen vending machine of its own. In fact it seems likely that this is one of many U.S. malls owned by the Simon mall chain that may have similar machines. In fact, as much was promised by Samsung and Coke at the 2009 International CES trade show. Back then, it was reported that the machines were even equipped with Wi-Fi to order replenishments. Why the machines have had such a soft, and quiet, launch, is something of a mystery.

For our money, the real innovation needed in vending machinery was to put an end to all those stuck beverages and candy bars. But it appears Samsung’s most aggressive response to that problem has been to install motion sensors that warn any frustrated customers who might try to rattle the machine.

UPDATE: Simon Malls confirms that the Samsung machines are something of a commonplace in their malls; a Simon document shows that the plan was to have 150 of them by September of 2009. And the Chinese also were ahead of the Japanese on this one: some of the machines were featured at the Beijing Olympics.

Greenopia's Green Beer Rankings: New Belgium, Bison, Eel River Come Out on Top

It's 100 degrees outside and virtually impossible to not crank up that energy-sucking air-conditioning to full blast, but you can still keep some modicum of green credibility--just keep to Greenopia's list of the most sustainable beers.

Greenopia ranks New Belgium as the most sustainable brewery (four out of five leaves) thanks to its "dedication to environmental initiatives," which include locally-sourced packaging, resource-efficient production, extensive environmental reporting, organic beer production, and a major commitment to bike culture (Tour de Fat, anyone?). New Belgium is, according to Greenopia, "without a doubt the greenest major beer made."

Bison and Eel River both garner three out of five leaves for their use of organic ingredients, though Greenopia believes that both breweries could stand to improve their environmental reporting.

On the less impressive end of things, mass market breweries including Coors, Guinness, Heineken, Sam Adams, and Tecate all receive zero out of five leaves. Most of the above breweries fail to produce thorough environmental reporting, which makes it difficult to rate them. But some have more egregious problems--Sam Adams, for example, hasn't done anything to green its bottles or transportation fleet.

Don't like Bison, Eel River, or New Belgium beer? There are plenty of other sustainable options. Check out our list of five green beers to watch out for.